Endometrioid adenocarcinoma with sacral metastasis.

Most bone tumors are metastatic. Breasts, lungs, kidneys, and thyroid are the primary sites most commonly involved in bone metastasis-type outcomes. This case study describes the involvement of a patient with a bone tumor located in the axial skeleton, initially in the sacral region. However, the primary site was undefined. Therefore, it was necessary to expand the investigation with immunohistochemistry, which demonstrated a metastatic tumor compatible with endometrioid adenocarcinoma. But even after examination, no active lesion was found in the endometrial region. The study was observational, descriptive, and aimed to discuss the importance of more specific investigative methods. In this context, immunohistochemistry stands out as an exquisite method capable of optimizing diagnosis, therapy, and consequently, prognosis.

Mechanical Strain, Temperature, and Misalignment Effects on Data Communication between Piezoceramic Ultrasonic Transducers.

Acoustic waves can be used for wireless telemetry as an alternative to situations where electrical or optical penetrators are unsuitable. However, the response of the ultrasonic transducer can be greatly affected by temperature variations, mechanical deformations, misalignment between transducers, and multiple layers in the propagation zone. Therefore, this work sought to quantify such influences on communication between ultrasonic transducers. The experimental measurements were performed at the frequency where power transfer is maximized. Moreover, there were four experimental models, each with its own performed setup. The ultrasonic transducers are attached to both sides of a 6 mm thick stainless-steel plate for configuring just one barrier. Multiple layers of transducers are attached to the outer side of two plates immersed in an acoustic fluid with a 100 mm thick barrier. In both cases, the S21 parameter was used to quantify the influence of the physical barrier because it correlates with the power flow between ports that return after a given excitation. The results showed that when a maximum deformation of 1250 µm/m was applied, the amplitude of the S21 parameter varied around +0.7 dB. Furthermore, increasing the temperature from 30 to 100 °C slightly affected the S21 (+0.8 dB), but the signal decayed quickly for temperatures beyond 100 °C. Additionally, the ultrasonic communication with a multiple layer was found to occur under misalignment with an intersection area of up to 40%. None of the factors evaluated resulted in insufficient power transfer, except for a large misalignment between the transducers. Such results indicate that this type of communication can be a robust alternative, with a minimum alignment of 40% between transducers and electrical penetrators.

The impact of primary health care on AIDS incidence and mortality: A cohort study of 3.4 million Brazilians.

BACKGROUND: Primary Health Care (PHC) is essential for effective, efficient, and more equitable health systems for all people, including those living with HIV/AIDS. This study evaluated the impact of the exposure to one of the largest community-based PHC programs in the world, the Brazilian Family Health Strategy (FHS), on AIDS incidence and mortality. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A retrospective cohort study carried out in Brazil from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2015. We conducted an impact evaluation using a cohort of 3,435,068 ≥13 years low-income individuals who were members of the 100 Million Brazilians Cohort, linked to AIDS diagnoses and deaths registries. We evaluated the impact of FHS on AIDS incidence and mortality and compared outcomes between residents of municipalities with low or no FHS coverage (unexposed) with those in municipalities with 100% FHS coverage (exposed). We used multivariable Poisson regressions adjusted for all relevant municipal and individual-level demographic, socioeconomic, and contextual variables, and weighted with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). We also estimated the FHS impact by sex and age and performed a wide range of sensitivity and triangulation analyses; 100% FHS coverage was associated with lower AIDS incidence (rate ratio [RR]: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.68 to 0.84) and mortality (RR: 0.68, 95%CI: 0.56 to 0.82). FHS impact was similar between men and women, but was larger in people aged ≥35 years old both for incidence (RR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.53 to 0.72) and mortality (RR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.43 to 0.72). The absence of important confounding variables (e.g., sexual behavior) is a key limitation of this study. CONCLUSIONS: AIDS should be an avoidable outcome for most people living with HIV today and our study shows that FHS coverage could significantly reduce AIDS incidence and mortality among low-income populations in Brazil. Universal access to comprehensive healthcare through community-based PHC programs should be promoted to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of ending AIDS by 2030.

Layer-selective deep representation to improve esophageal cancer classification.

Even though artificial intelligence and machine learning have demonstrated remarkable performances in medical image computing, their accountability and transparency level must be improved to transfer this success into clinical practice. The reliability of machine learning decisions must be explained and interpreted, especially for supporting the medical diagnosis. For this task, the deep learning techniques' black-box nature must somehow be lightened up to clarify its promising results. Hence, we aim to investigate the impact of the ResNet-50 deep convolutional design for Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinoma classification. For such a task, and aiming at proposing a two-step learning technique, the output of each convolutional layer that composes the ResNet-50 architecture was trained and classified for further definition of layers that would provide more impact in the architecture. We showed that local information and high-dimensional features are essential to improve the classification for our task. Besides, we observed a significant improvement when the most discriminative layers expressed more impact in the training and classification of ResNet-50 for Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinoma classification, demonstrating that both human knowledge and computational processing may influence the correct learning of such a problem.

Uso de analgésicos não opioides entre estudantes de Enfermagem no Amazonas, Brasil / Uso de analgesicos no-opioides entre estudiantes de Enfermería em Amazonas, Brasil / Use of non-opioid analgesics among nursing students in the Amazonas, Brazil

Objetivo: Estimar a prevalência do uso de analgésicos não opioides para alívio da dor entre graduandos de Enfermagem. Método: Estudo transversal, realizado com 142 estudantes de Enfermagem no interior do estado do Amazonas, Região Norte do Brasil. Os dados foram coletados no segundo semestre de 2017, utilizando questionário autoaplicável. Resultados: A prevalência do consumo de analgésicos não opioides foi de 68,3%; sendo o alívio das dores de cabeça (64,9%) e dores abdominais (14,4%) os principais motivos para uso. A maioria afirmou que: a dor interfere na realização de atividades diárias (77,3%); reconhecem que os analgésicos podem fazer mal à saúde (76,3%); consumiam analgésicos por conta própria (58,8%). Ainda, 47,4% indicavam medicamentos a terceiros e 93,8% estocavam medicamentos em suas casas. Conclusão: Constatou-se elevado consumo de analgésico, destacando o uso irracional -sem prescrição de profissional. Faz-se necessário fortalecer o ensino sobre o uso racional de medicamentos entre os alunos de Enfermagem, visando minimizar os riscos desta prática.

Objetivo: Estimar la prevalencia de analgésicos no opioides para el alivio del dolor entre los estudiantes de enfermería. Método: Estudio transversal, realizado con 142 estudiantes de enfermería en el interior del estado de Amazonas, Región Norte de Brasil. Los datos se recopilaron en el segundo semestre de 2017 utilizando un cuestionario autoadministrado. Resultados: La prevalencia del uso analgésico no opioide fue del 68,3%; ser el alivio de los dolores de cabeza (64,9%) y dolor abdominal (14,4%) las principales razones de uso. La mayoría declaró que: el dolor interfiere con el desempeño de las actividades diarias (77,3%); reconocen que los analgésicos pueden dañar la salud (76,3%); consumieron analgésicos por sí solos (58,8%). Además, el 47,4% reportó medicamentos a terceros y el 93,8% dijo que almacenaba los medicamentos en sus hogares. Conclusión: Hubo un alto consumo de analgésicos, destacando el uso irracional ­sin prescripción profesional. Es necesario fortalecer la enseñanza sobre el uso racional de los medicamentos entre los estudiantes de enfermería, con el objetivo de minimizar los riesgos de esta práctica.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of non-opioid analgesics for pain relief among nursing undergraduates. Method: Cross-sectional study, conducted with 142 nursing students in the interior of the state of Amazonas, Northern Region of Brazil. Data were collected in the second half of 2017 using a self-administe redquestionnaire. Results: The prevalence of non-opioid analgesic use was 68,3%; being the relief of headaches (64,9%) and abdominal pain (14,4%) the main reasons for use. The majority stated that: pain interferes with the performance of daily activities (77.3%); they recognize that analgesics can harm health (76.3%); they consumed analgesics on their own (58.8%). Still, 47.4% indicated medicines to third parties and 93.8% reported that they stocked medicines in their homes. Conclusion: There was a high consumption of analgesics, highlighting irrational use -without professional prescription. It is necessary to strengthen the teaching on the rational use of medicines among nursing students, aiming to minimize the risks of this practice.

Intramuscular adipose tissue, muscle area, and power as predictors of performance in breast cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: The decline in physical performance, assessed by physical tests such as the timed up and go (TUG) test, is a consequence of reduced physiological reserves at higher levels of a hierarchical process. This occurs due to changes in muscle architecture, including atrophy and fat infiltration into the muscles, which in turn lead to changes in muscle function, resulting in reduced muscle strength and power and, consequently, affecting physical performance. This study investigated predictive factors for physical performance in breast cancer survivor (BCS), focusing on intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT), quadríceps muscle area (QMA), and muscular power. METHODS: This observational, analytical, and cross-sectional study included 23 women without a history of cancer (age, 58.5 ± 8.3 years; BMI, 27.2 ± 5.1 kg/m2) and 56 BCS (age, 58.5 ± 8.3 years; BMI, 27.2 ± 5.1 kg/m2). QMA and IMAT were assessed using computed tomography images. Muscular power and physical performance were measured using the 5-repetition sit-to-stand and TUG tests, respectively. RESULTS: IMAT (r = 0.4, P < 0.01) and muscular power (r = - 0.4, P < 0.01) were associated with TUG performance in BCS, whereas QMA (r = - 0.22, P = 0.10) showed no significant association. QMA (r = 0.55, P < 0.01) was associated with muscular power, while no significant association was found between IMAT and muscular power (r = - 0.05, P = 0.73). Age explained 19% (P < 0.01) of TUG performance variability. Adding muscular power increased explanatory power by 12% (P < 0.01), and including IMAT further increased it by 7% (P = 0.02) for TUG performance. Collectively, age, muscular power, and IMAT accounted for 38% of the performance variance in the TUG test (age, B = 0.06, P = 0.043; muscular power, B = - 0.01, P = 0.002; IMAT, B = - 0.05, P = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that IMAT and muscular power predict the physical performance of BCS, while QMA does not have the same predictive capability.

The intersecting effects of race, wealth, and education on AIDS incidence, mortality, and case-fatality rate: a Brazilian cohort study of 28.3 million individuals.

The relationships between race, education, wealth, their intersections and AIDS morbidity/mortality were analyzed in retrospective cohort of 28.3 million individuals followed for 9 years (2007-2015). Together with several sensitivity analyses, a wide range of interactions on additive and multiplicative scales were estimated. Race, education, and wealth were each strongly associated with all of the AIDS-related outcomes, and the magnitude of the associations increased as intersections were included. A significantly higher risk of illness (aRR: 3.07, 95%CI:2.67-3.53) and death (aRR: 4.96, 95%CI:3.99-6.16) from AIDS was observed at the intersection of Black race, lower educational attainment, and less wealth. A higher case-fatality rate (aRR: 1.62, 95%CI:1.18-2.21) was also seen for the same intersectional group. Historically oppressed groups lying at the intersections of race, education, and wealth, had a considerably higher risk of illness and death from AIDS. AIDS-related interventions will require the implementation of comprehensive intersectoral policies that follow an intersectionality perspective.

Evaluating social protection mitigation effects on HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis through a mathematical modelling study.

The global economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, and worldwide inflation surge may have a profound impact on poverty-related infectious diseases, especially in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). In this work, we developed mathematical models for HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis (TB) in Brazil, one of the largest and most unequal LMICs, incorporating poverty rates and temporal dynamics to evaluate and forecast the impact of the increase in poverty due to the economic crisis, and estimate the mitigation effects of alternative poverty-reduction policies on the incidence and mortality from AIDS and TB up to 2030. Three main intervention scenarios were simulated-an economic crisis followed by the implementation of social protection policies with none, moderate, or strong coverage-evaluating the incidence and mortality from AIDS and TB. Without social protection policies to mitigate the impact of the economic crisis, the burden of HIV/AIDS and TB would be significantly larger over the next decade, being responsible in 2030 for an incidence 13% (95% CI 4-31%) and mortality 21% (95% CI 12-34%) higher for HIV/AIDS, and an incidence 16% (95% CI 10-25%) and mortality 22% (95% CI 15-31%) higher for TB, if compared with a scenario of moderate social protection. These differences would be significantly larger if compared with a scenario of strong social protection, resulting in more than 230,000 cases and 34,000 deaths from AIDS and TB averted over the next decade in Brazil. Using a comprehensive approach, that integrated economic forecasting with mathematical and epidemiological models, we were able to show the importance of implementing robust social protection policies to avert a significant increase in incidence and mortality from AIDS and TB during the current global economic downturn.

Current and Projected Mortality and Hospitalization Rates Associated With Conditional Cash Transfer, Social Pension, and Primary Health Care Programs in Brazil, 2000-2030.

Importance: The health outcomes of increased poverty and inequalities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have been substantially amplified as a consequence of converging multiple crises. Brazil has some of the world's largest conditional cash transfer (Programa Bolsa Família [PBF]), social pension (Beneficio de Prestacão Continuada [BPC]), and primary health care (Estratégia de Saúde da Família [ESF]) programs that could act as mitigating interventions during the current polycrisis era of increasing poverty, slow or contracting economic growth, and conflicts. Objective: To evaluate the combined association of the Brazilian conditional cash transfer, social pension, and primary health care programs with the reduction of morbidity and mortality over the last 2 decades and forecast their potential mitigation of the current global polycrisis and beyond. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used a longitudinal ecological design with multivariable negative binomial regression models (adjusted for relevant socioeconomic, demographic, and health care variables) integrating the retrospective analysis from 2000 to 2019, with dynamic microsimulation models to forecast potential child mortality scenarios up to 2030. Participants included a cohort of 2548 Brazilian municipalities from 2004 to 2019, projected from 2020 to 2030. Data analysis was performed from September 2022 to February 2023. Exposure: PBF coverage of the target population (those who were poorest) was categorized into 4 levels: low (0%-29.9%), intermediate (30.0%-69.9%), high (70.0%-99.9%), and consolidated (≥100%). ESF coverage was categorized as null (0), low (0.1%-29.9%), intermediate (30.0%-69.9%), and consolidated (70.0%-100%). BPC coverage was categorized by terciles. Main outcomes and measures: Age-standardized, all-cause mortality and hospitalization rates calculated for the entire population and by age group (<5 years, 5-29 years, 30-69 years, and ≥70 years). Results: Among the 2548 Brazilian municipalities studied from 2004 to 2019, the mean (SD) age-standardized mortality rate decreased by 16.64% (from 6.73 [1.14] to 5.61 [0.94] deaths per 1000 population). Consolidated coverages of social welfare programs studied were all associated with reductions in overall mortality rates (PBF: rate ratio [RR], 0.95 [95% CI, 0.94-0.96]; ESF: RR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.93-0.94]; BPC: RR, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.91-0.92]), having all together prevented an estimated 1 462 626 (95% CI, 1 332 128-1 596 924) deaths over the period 2004 to 2019. The results were higher on mortality for the group younger than age 5 years (PBF: RR, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.85-0.90]; ESF: RR, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.87-0.93]; BPC: RR, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.82-0.86]), on mortality for the group aged 70 years and older, and on hospitalizations. Considering a shorter scenario of economic crisis, a mitigation strategy that will increase the coverage of PBF, BPC, and ESF to proportionally cover the newly poor and at-risk individuals was projected to avert 1 305 359 (95% CI, 1 163 659-1 449 256) deaths and 6 593 224 (95% CI, 5 534 591-7 651 327) hospitalizations up to 2030, compared with fiscal austerity scenarios that would reduce the coverage of these interventions. Conclusions and relevance: This cohort study's results suggest that combined expansion of conditional cash transfers, social pensions, and primary health care should be considered a viable strategy to mitigate the adverse health outcomes of the current global polycrisis in LMICs, whereas the implementation of fiscal austerity measures could result in large numbers of preventable deaths.

Competencies for Transformational Leadership in Public Health-An International Delphi Consensus Study.

Objectives: This Delphi study intended to develop competencies for transformational leadership in public health, including behavioral descriptions (descriptors) tailored to individuals and their contexts. Methods: The study involved five rounds, including online "e-Delphi" consultations and real-time online workshops with experts from diverse sectors. Relevant competencies were identified through a literature review, and experts rated, ranked, rephrased, and proposed descriptors. The study followed the Guidance on Conducting and REporting DElphi Studies (CREDES) and the COmpeteNcy FramEwoRk Development in Health Professions (CONFERD-HP) reporting guidelines. Results: Our framework comprises ten competencies for transformational public health leadership (each with its descriptors) within four categories, and also describes a four-stage model for developing relevant competencies tailored to different contexts. Conclusion: Educators responsible for curriculum design, particularly those aiming to align curricula with local goals, making leadership education context-specific and -sensitive, may benefit from the proposed framework. Additionally, it can help strengthen links between education and workforce sectors, address competency gaps, and potentially reduce the out-migration of graduates in the health professions.

Income determines the impact of cash transfers on HIV/AIDS: cohort study of 22.7 million Brazilians.

Living with extremely low-income is an important risk factor for HIV/AIDS and can be mitigated by conditional cash transfers. Using a cohort of 22.7 million low-income individuals during 9 years, we evaluated the effects of the world's largest conditional cash transfer, the Programa Bolsa Família, on HIV/AIDS-related outcomes. Exposure to Programa Bolsa Família was associated with reduced AIDS incidence by 41% (RR:0.59; 95%CI:0.57-0.61), mortality by 39% (RR:0.61; 95%CI:0.57-0.64), and case fatality rates by 25% (RR:0.75; 95%CI:0.66-0.85) in the cohort, and Programa Bolsa Família effects were considerably stronger among individuals of extremely low-income [reduction of 55% for incidence (RR:0.45, 95% CI:0.42-0.47), 54% mortality (RR:0.46, 95% CI:0.42-0.49), and 37% case-fatality (RR:0.63, 95% CI:0.51 -0.76)], decreasing gradually until having no effect in individuals with higher incomes. Similar effects were observed on HIV notification. Programa Bolsa Família impact was also stronger among women and adolescents. Several sensitivity and triangulation analyses demonstrated the robustness of the results. Conditional cash transfers can significantly reduce AIDS morbidity and mortality in extremely vulnerable populations and should be considered an essential intervention to achieve AIDS-related sustainable development goals by 2030.

[Evaluation of the impact of the implementation of the new primary health care information system on records of patient care and home visits in Brazil]. / Avaliação do impacto da implantação do novo sistema de informações da atenção primária à saúde nos registros de atendimentos e visitas domiciliares no Brasil.

The replacement of the Primary Care Information System (SIAB, 1998-2015), as of January 2016, by the new Health Information System for Primary Care (SISAB) determined new forms of collecting, processing, and using information, with a possible impact on the records of activities carried out in primary health care in Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the implementation impact of the new information system on records of physicians' and nurses' patient care and home visits of community health workers (CHW) in Brazil from 2007 to 2019. To this end, a Bayesian structural time-series model approach was used, based on a diffuse state-space regression. From 2016 to 2019, 463.47 million physician care, 210.61 million nursing care, and 1.28 billion CHW visits were recorded. Following the trend recorded before the implementation, 598.86 million, 430.46 million, and 1.5 billion physician and nursing appointments and CHW visits would be expected, respectively. In relative terms, there was a decrease of 25% in physician care, 51% in nursing care, and 15% in CHW visits when compared to the value expected by the Bayesian method. The negative impact on the records of patient care and home visits identified in this study, whether due to difficulties in adapting to the new system or a reduction in improper records, must be investigated so that the challenge of improving the primary care information system can be understood and overcome in a planned way.

A substituição do Sistema de Informação da Atenção Básica (SIAB, 1998-2015), a partir de janeiro de 2016, pelo novo Sistema de Informação em Saúde para a Atenção Básica (SISAB) determinou novas formas de coleta, processamento e uso das informações, com possível impacto nos registros das atividades desenvolvidas na atenção primária à saúde no Brasil. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o impacto da implantação do novo sistema de informação sobre registros de atendimentos de médicos e enfermeiros, e de visitas domiciliares de agentes comunitários de saúde (ACS) brasileiros entre 2007 e 2019. Para tal, utilizou-se uma abordagem bayesiana de modelo estrutural para séries temporais, com base em uma regressão difusa de espaço-estado. Ao longo do período de 2016 a 2019, foram registrados 463,47 milhões de atendimentos médicos, 210,61 milhões de atendimentos de enfermagem e 1,28 bilhão de visitas de ACS. Seguindo a tendência registrada antes da implantação, seriam esperados 598,86 milhões, 430,46 milhões e 1,5 bilhão de atendimentos de médicos, enfermeiros e visitas de ACS, respectivamente. Em termos relativos, houve um decréscimo de 25% nos atendimentos médicos, 51% nos atendimentos de enfermagem e 15% nas visitas de ACS quando comparado com o valor esperado pelo método bayesiano. O impacto negativo no registro de atendimentos e de visitas domiciliares identificado neste estudo, seja por dificuldade de adaptação ao novo sistema, seja por diminuição de registros indevidos, merece ser alvo de investigação para que se possa, de forma planejada, compreender e superar o desafio da melhoria do sistema de informação da atenção primária.

La sustitución del Sistema de Información de la Atención Básica (SIAB, 1998-2015), desde enero de 2016, por el nuevo Sistema de Información en Salud para la Atención Básica (SISAB) estableció nuevas maneras para recolectar, procesar y utilizar las informaciones, con posibles impactos en los registros de las actividades desarrolladas en la atención primaria de salud en Brasil. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el impacto de la implantación del nuevo sistema de información sobre los registros de atención de médicos y enfermeros y de visitas domiciliarias de agentes comunitarios de salud (ACS) en Brasil entre 2007 y 2019. Para eso, se utilizó un enfoque bayesiano de modelo estructural para series temporales basadas en una regresión difusa de espacio de estado. Entre los años 2016 y 2019, se registraron 463,47 millones de consultas médicas, 210,61 millones de consultas de enfermería y 1,28 mil millones de visitas de ACS. Siguiendo la tendencia registrada antes de la implantación, se esperarían 598,86 millones, 430,46 millones y 1,5 mil millones de consultas médicas y de enfermería y visitas de ACS respectivamente. En términos relativos, hubo una disminución del 25% en las consultas médicas, del 51% en las consultas de enfermería y del 15% en las visitas de ACS en comparación con el valor esperado por el método bayesiano. El impacto negativo en el registro de consultas y visitas domiciliarias identificado en este estudio, ya sea por dificultades en la adaptación al nuevo sistema o por la disminución de los registros indebidos, merece ser objeto de investigación para que se pueda, de manera planificada, comprender y superar el desafío continuo de mejorar el sistema de información de la atención primaria.

Avaliação do impacto da implantação do novo sistema de informações da atenção primária à saúde nos registros de atendimentos e visitas domiciliares no Brasil / Evaluation of the impact of the implementation of the new primary health care information system on records of patient care and home visits in Brazil / Evaluación del impacto de la implantación del nuevo sistema de informaciones de la atención primaria de salud en los registros de atención y visitas domiciliarias en Brasil

Resumo: A substituição do Sistema de Informação da Atenção Básica (SIAB, 1998-2015), a partir de janeiro de 2016, pelo novo Sistema de Informação em Saúde para a Atenção Básica (SISAB) determinou novas formas de coleta, processamento e uso das informações, com possível impacto nos registros das atividades desenvolvidas na atenção primária à saúde no Brasil. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o impacto da implantação do novo sistema de informação sobre registros de atendimentos de médicos e enfermeiros, e de visitas domiciliares de agentes comunitários de saúde (ACS) brasileiros entre 2007 e 2019. Para tal, utilizou-se uma abordagem bayesiana de modelo estrutural para séries temporais, com base em uma regressão difusa de espaço-estado. Ao longo do período de 2016 a 2019, foram registrados 463,47 milhões de atendimentos médicos, 210,61 milhões de atendimentos de enfermagem e 1,28 bilhão de visitas de ACS. Seguindo a tendência registrada antes da implantação, seriam esperados 598,86 milhões, 430,46 milhões e 1,5 bilhão de atendimentos de médicos, enfermeiros e visitas de ACS, respectivamente. Em termos relativos, houve um decréscimo de 25% nos atendimentos médicos, 51% nos atendimentos de enfermagem e 15% nas visitas de ACS quando comparado com o valor esperado pelo método bayesiano. O impacto negativo no registro de atendimentos e de visitas domiciliares identificado neste estudo, seja por dificuldade de adaptação ao novo sistema, seja por diminuição de registros indevidos, merece ser alvo de investigação para que se possa, de forma planejada, compreender e superar o desafio da melhoria do sistema de informação da atenção primária.

Abstract: The replacement of the Primary Care Information System (SIAB, 1998-2015), as of January 2016, by the new Health Information System for Primary Care (SISAB) determined new forms of collecting, processing, and using information, with a possible impact on the records of activities carried out in primary health care in Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the implementation impact of the new information system on records of physicians' and nurses' patient care and home visits of community health workers (CHW) in Brazil from 2007 to 2019. To this end, a Bayesian structural time-series model approach was used, based on a diffuse state-space regression. From 2016 to 2019, 463.47 million physician care, 210.61 million nursing care, and 1.28 billion CHW visits were recorded. Following the trend recorded before the implementation, 598.86 million, 430.46 million, and 1.5 billion physician and nursing appointments and CHW visits would be expected, respectively. In relative terms, there was a decrease of 25% in physician care, 51% in nursing care, and 15% in CHW visits when compared to the value expected by the Bayesian method. The negative impact on the records of patient care and home visits identified in this study, whether due to difficulties in adapting to the new system or a reduction in improper records, must be investigated so that the challenge of improving the primary care information system can be understood and overcome in a planned way.

Resumen: La sustitución del Sistema de Información de la Atención Básica (SIAB, 1998-2015), desde enero de 2016, por el nuevo Sistema de Información en Salud para la Atención Básica (SISAB) estableció nuevas maneras para recolectar, procesar y utilizar las informaciones, con posibles impactos en los registros de las actividades desarrolladas en la atención primaria de salud en Brasil. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el impacto de la implantación del nuevo sistema de información sobre los registros de atención de médicos y enfermeros y de visitas domiciliarias de agentes comunitarios de salud (ACS) en Brasil entre 2007 y 2019. Para eso, se utilizó un enfoque bayesiano de modelo estructural para series temporales basadas en una regresión difusa de espacio de estado. Entre los años 2016 y 2019, se registraron 463,47 millones de consultas médicas, 210,61 millones de consultas de enfermería y 1,28 mil millones de visitas de ACS. Siguiendo la tendencia registrada antes de la implantación, se esperarían 598,86 millones, 430,46 millones y 1,5 mil millones de consultas médicas y de enfermería y visitas de ACS respectivamente. En términos relativos, hubo una disminución del 25% en las consultas médicas, del 51% en las consultas de enfermería y del 15% en las visitas de ACS en comparación con el valor esperado por el método bayesiano. El impacto negativo en el registro de consultas y visitas domiciliarias identificado en este estudio, ya sea por dificultades en la adaptación al nuevo sistema o por la disminución de los registros indebidos, merece ser objeto de investigación para que se pueda, de manera planificada, comprender y superar el desafío continuo de mejorar el sistema de información de la atención primaria.

Validation of a method to assess the severity of medication administration errors in Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Medication errors are frequent and have high economic and social impacts; however, some medication errors are more likely to result in harm than others. Therefore, it is critical to determine their severity. Various tools exist to measure and classify the harm associated with medication errors; although, few have been validated internationally. METHODS: We validated an existing method for assessing the potential severity of medication administration errors (MAEs) in Brazil. Thirty healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses and pharmacists) from Brazil were invited to score 50 cases of MAEs as in the original UK study, regarding their potential harm to the patient, on a scale from 0 to 10. Sixteen cases with known harmful outcomes were included to assess the validity of the scoring. To assess test-retest reliability, 10 cases (of the 50) were scored twice. Potential sources of variability in scoring were evaluated, including the occasion on which the scores were given, the scorers, their profession and the interactions among these variables. Data were analysed using generalisability theory. A G coefficient of 0.8 or more was considered reliable, and a Bland-Altman analysis was used to assess test-retest reliability. RESULTS: To obtain a generalisability coefficient of 0.8, a minimum of three judges would need to score each case with their mean score used as an indicator of severity. The method also appeared to be valid, as the judges' assessments were largely in line with the outcomes of the 16 cases with known outcomes. The Bland-Altman analysis showed that the distribution was homogeneous above and below the mean difference for doctors, pharmacists and nurses. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrate the reliability and validity of an existing method of scoring the severity of MAEs for use in the Brazilian health system.

Assessing the severity of medication administration errors identified in an observational study using a valid and reliable method.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological data on medication errors severity are scarce. The assessment of the prevalence and severity of medication errors may be limited because of several reasons, including a lack of standardization in the method of identifying medication administration errors and little knowledge about the appropriate assessment tools to measure severity. Thus, in this study, we aim to assess the potential severity of errors identified by direct observation in a teaching hospital. METHODS: We used a validated method for assessing the potential severity of medication administration errors. Responses are scored on a 10-point scale. The 203 errors identified in a previous study were organized per similarity, resulting in 67 errors. This list was assessed by a panel of a physician, a nurse, and two pharmacists. The average score for each of the 67 errors was estimated considering the scores given by the 4 judges. Errors with a severity index < 3, between 3 and 7, and > 7 were considered minor, moderate, and severe, respectively. RESULTS: Professionals classified the potential clinical significance of the errors as minor, moderate, and severe in 8.8% (18/203), 82.8% (168/203), and 8.4% (17/203) of the cases, respectively. Most errors considered potentially serious (41%, 7/17) were technical errors. Most potentially serious errors involved insulin. Regarding the administration route, nine (53%) potentially serious errors involved medications administered intravenously. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the errors were considered as potentially moderated by the expert panel; however, the frequency of potentially serious errors was higher than that in previous studies using the same methodology, which highlights the need for strategies to reduce their occurrence.

Design and experimental validation of a new wheelchair seat stabilization system.

PURPOSE: Seat tilting wheelchair features can increase the comfort and safety of the user. Although many power wheelchairs have tilting mechanisms, they are often designed with a specific wheelchair model in mind. In this study, a design process for seat tilting mechanisms that can be applied to most rear-wheel drive wheelchair models is developed. METHODOLOGY: Equations were developed to describe the geometrical and load constraints that were used to size the electric actuator that powers the system and define its position. Finally, the equations were used to create the seat tilting mechanism of a prototype wheelchair, which was then tested. RESULTS: The equations yielded coherent results which showed that advantageous actuator positions from a load minimization perspective usually require dimensions that cannot be found in commercial actuators. Also, there are positions in which the load increases exponentially, which should be avoided. The tests showed that the system was able to function properly on the prototype wheelchair and that the actuator position affected the time taken for the actuator to execute different parts of the tilting movement. CONCLUSIONS: The design process presented here was successful and modelled by general equations that can be applied to most front-wheel drive wheelchairs. It presents a low-cost option for the design of seat tilting systems, which can increase their accessibility.

Developing new systems to provide improvements in assistive technologies is fundamental for social reintegration and quality of life improvement.Wheelchairs with a seat stabilization system for moving through inclined terrain can provide greater comfort and safety to the user.Adding low-cost functionalities to wheelchairs is essential to make them more accessible to people, therefore, this paper provides a design method of a new seat stabilization system applied to low-cost wheelchairs.

The effect of primary health care on AIDS incidence and mortality: a cohort study of 3.4 million Brazilians.

Background: Primary Health Care (PHC) is essential for the health and wellbeing of people living with HIV/AIDS. This study evaluated the effects of one of the largest community-based PHC programs in the world, the Brazilian Family Health Strategy (FHS), on AIDS incidence and mortality. Methods: A retrospective cohort study carried out in Brazil, from January 1 2007 to December 31 2015. We conducted a quasi-experimental effect evaluation using a cohort of 3,435,068 ≥13 years low-income individuals who were members of the 100 Million Brazilians Cohort, linked to AIDS diagnoses and deaths registries. We evaluated the effect of FHS on AIDS incidence and mortality and comparing outcomes between residents of municipalities with no FHS coverage with those in municipalities with full FHS coverage. We used multivariable Poisson regressions adjusted for all relevant municipal and individual-level demographic, socioeconomic, and contextual variables, and weighted with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). We also estimated FHS effect by sex and age, and performed a wide range of sensitivity and triangulation analyses. Findings: FHS coverage was associated with lower AIDS incidence (rate ratio [RR]:0.76, 95%CI:0.68-0.84) and mortality (RR:0.68,95%CI:0.56-0.82). FHS effect was similar between men and women, but was larger in people aged ≥35 years old both for incidence (RR 0.62, 95%CI:0.53-0.72) and mortality (RR 0.56, 95%CI:0.43-0.72). Conclusions: AIDS should be an avoidable outcome for most people living with HIV today, and our study shows that FHS coverage could significantly reduce AIDS incidence and mortality among low-income populations in Brazil. Universal access to comprehensive healthcare through community-based PHC programs should be promoted to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of ending AIDS by 2030.